Game of Thrones 2 to be available on Blinkbox before Blu-ray or DVD

Movie and TV cloud streaming and digital download service Blinkbox has signed a deal with HBO to add some of the US broadcaster's top shows to the online service. And, as part of that partnership, fans of Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire can buy the latest seasons of each before they are released on DVD or Blu-ray.

The Blu-ray release of Game of Thrones Season 2 hasn't even been announced yet, and considering that the DVD and BD copies of Season 1 came out only in March this year, you may not be able to buy the follow-up until 2013.

Blinkbox, however, will have both GoT 2 and Boardwalk Empire Season 2 available on its service to buy in the coming weeks, alongside a stack of other HBO classics, both new and old. You will be able to buy complete seasons or individual episodes and either watch them streamed on a computer (PC or Mac), select Samsung or LG-connected TVs, iPad, Xbox 360 or PS3. You can also download them directly to a PC.

Some of the other titles on offer from today (13 August) or to be added imminently include the first seasons of Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire, True Blood, The Wire, Sex & The City, and the superb Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Prices vary, but the first season of Game of Thrones, for example, costs £17.99, with individual episodes available at £1.79 each. There is no subscription fee to join Blinkbox and some shows are offered free.

Blinkbox is owned by UK retailer Tesco, which bought the service in April last year. It was originally chosen to be one of the technology partners for YouView, but there has yet to be an announcement as to whether it will be offered as a service on the new TV platform.

Our senior ed of news and features has been a tech and games journalist for more than 27 years, and has been with Pocket-lint for over five. Rik has edited a number of videogame magazines in the past, was deputy editor of Home Cinema Choice, and his TV career included stints as co-presenter of Channel 4's Gamesmaster and Sky One’s Games World.